Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD): Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes was 63.48 million number in 2019. ▲ Rising
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), 1972–2019
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in number.
Analysis
In 2019, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) stood at 63.48 million number. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 6.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) peaked at 63.48 million number in 2019 and was at its lowest, 45.18 million number, in 1972.
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 28th of 39 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 48 years of available data.
Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD), year by year
| Year | number | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 45.18 million number | — |
| 1973 | 46.05 million number | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 46.94 million number | +2.0% |
| 1975 | 47.86 million number | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 48.77 million number | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 49.61 million number | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 50.44 million number | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 51.30 million number | +1.7% |
| 1980 | 52.14 million number | +1.6% |
| 1981 | 52.96 million number | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 53.83 million number | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 54.76 million number | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 55.42 million number | +1.2% |
| 1985 | 56.06 million number | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 56.54 million number | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 57.20 million number | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 57.63 million number | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 58.15 million number | +0.9% |
| 1990 | 56.65 million number | -2.6% |
| 1991 | 56.80 million number | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 57.16 million number | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 57.76 million number | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 58.21 million number | +0.8% |
| 1995 | 57.70 million number | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 57.52 million number | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 57.75 million number | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 57.64 million number | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 57.60 million number | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 57.60 million number | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 57.28 million number | -0.6% |
| 2002 | 58.49 million number | +2.1% |
| 2003 | 53.15 million number | -9.1% |
| 2004 | 52.90 million number | -0.5% |
| 2005 | 55.67 million number | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 57.06 million number | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 57.47 million number | +0.7% |
| 2008 | 57.50 million number | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 59.38 million number | +3.3% |
| 2010 | 58.83 million number | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 59.53 million number | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 53.43 million number | -10.2% |
| 2013 | 55.51 million number | +3.9% |
| 2014 | 52.20 million number | -6.0% |
| 2015 | 58.65 million number | +12.4% |
| 2016 | 56.50 million number | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 54.46 million number | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 63.39 million number | +16.4% |
| 2019 | 63.48 million number | +0.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 48.27 million number | 45.18 million number | 51.30 million number | 8 |
| 1980s | 55.47 million number | 52.14 million number | 58.15 million number | 10 |
| 1990s | 57.48 million number | 56.65 million number | 58.21 million number | 10 |
| 2000s | 56.65 million number | 52.90 million number | 59.38 million number | 10 |
| 2010s | 57.60 million number | 52.20 million number | 63.48 million number | 10 |
Countries ranked near Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
More education data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)
- Population ages 0-14 32.6% (2025)
- Secondary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 15-64 62.1% (2025)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, male, annual growth rate -2.85 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Number of infant deaths, male, per capita 0.0004 units per person (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, annual growth rate -3.23 % change on previous year (2024)
- Number of under-five deaths, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
All data for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) →
Frequently asked questions
- What is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) was 63.48 million number in 2019, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The highest recorded value was 63.48 million number in 2019.
- What is the lowest adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes recorded in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.18 million number in 1972.
- How does Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) rank for adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes?
- Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) ranks 28th out of 39 groups with data for 2019.
- Is adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes rising or falling in Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD)?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan (IDA & IBRD) data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Adult illiterate population, 15+ years, both sexes (number). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total number of adults over age 15 who cannot both read and write with understanding a short simple statement on their everyday life.